Time to make your home a healthier one

John P. Lapotaire, CIEC

By NEWS CANADA

Indoor air quality can suffer, especially over the winter when windows remain closed. However, with a few easy steps, homeowners can dramatically improve the indoor atmosphere. Here are some pointers from The Home Depot Canada to ensure your home’s air quality is up to par:

Manage mould – Keep your basement dry and mould-free by ensuring gutters and downspouts aren’t blocked, and that they direct water away from the home. Also be sure to get rid of carpets from bathrooms and basements with high humidity as mould often grows in these areas.

Clean easy – Choosing Eco Options products, such as the Eco Mist line of effective cleaning solutions, offer non-toxic cleansers for every surface of your home without the strong odours of traditional cleaning products.

Paint smart – If painting this fall, use Eco Options certified interior paints that are low in VOCs or VOC-free. Interested in the hot colour trends for fall? Try a subtle grey or taupe from the Martha Stewart Living collection. Just remember to open all windows to ventilate properly when painting indoors.

Check your chimney – Over time, soot from smoke and other particles can build up in the chimney causing smoke from fires to enter into the home. Make sure you have it inspected every fall and cleaned as necessary.

Protect from invisible hazards – For those that don’t already have a carbon monoxide detector, now is the time to install one. For those who do, test it and make sure it is working properly.

Freshen the furnace – A dirty furnace is less efficient, especially during the winter months when it is in constant use. Replace or clean the furnace filter in early fall and once a month during periods of continuous use. To check the filter, take it out and hold it up to the light. If it looks clogged, be sure to wash or replace it with a new filter of the same type and size. A furnace’s blower and motor should also be cleaned regularly. So if they haven’t been checked in a while, it might be time to call in an expert.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC• www.Microshield-ES.com